Archive for the ‘Bullitt Mustang’ Category

America’s love affair with the car may have certainly changed over the years, but cars still play a significant role in the way we live our lives. Some people drive them to get from point A to point B while others seem to consider their vehicles an extension of themselves. The vast majority of driver’s fall somewhere between these two extremes.

Hollywood Swinging

But Hollywood and the entertainment industry has used its collective influence to stoke our motoring desire by singing, writing, and featuring cars in songs, books, television shows, and movies. Tim Workman & John McClellan sang about the Ford Mustang while the Beach Boys include “409” and “Little Honda” among other car based hits.

Numerous books have been written down through the years dedicated to this model while others expose the problems of the industry as a whole. Movies are a whole ‘nuther matter as the big screen has had a number of hits including the 2006 animation classic, Cars. But it was the 1969 Steve McQueen movie, Bullitt, which vaulted the Ford Mustang to the top of Americana, a car involved in a nine minute chase scene. That chase is considered to be one of the best ever filmed.

Bullitt did for Ford Mustang what no song could do, elevating the 1968 Mustang Fastback to the top of the sport coupe segment. The chase scene’s other car, a 1968 Dodge Charger R/T also fared quite well, but in the movie that car did not survive the chase while the Mustang did. Check YouTube to view the chase and you will get a better understanding how Bullitt forever changed the Mustang.

Bullitt Mustang

It wasn’t until 2001 when Ford decided to capitalize on the Bullitt name for the first time. Like the Mustangs used in the movie, the special edition Bullitt featured a modified suspension and brakes as well as enjoying Tokico shocks, performance intake and muffler, and enhancements to the engine which helped squeeze an additional ten horsepower from the engine as well as improved torque curve. Yes, the dark highland green was one of three colors available as were black and true blue.

For 2008 and again for 2009 Ford released a follow up Bullett, this one as an add-on package to its GT Premium model. Most notable about this Bullett is that the steed included special wheels, Bullett door sills, and special aluminum treatments to the engine, dash, shifter, and pedals. Special stitching and engraving was evident on the seats and Ford managed to squeeze an additional 15 horsepower out of the V8 which was paired with a five-speed Tremec manual transmission.

Retired Model

Alas, the Bullett is not available with current production Mustangs, but that doesn’t mean that its return has been ruled out. Come 2018 as the 50th anniversary of the movie is marked, the Bullett name may once again be affixed to a future Mustang model even if it should be powered by an EcoBoost I4 engine.